"Search the area, quickly. There's someone over there," the man in the lead ordered.
His hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist as he warily surveyed his surroundings.
The twelve elite figures in black split into six groups and swiftly crept off in different directions.
Yi Chen frowned. These figures in black seemed far more cautious than he had expected. Every team had enough people to ensure that no one would be left alone and beaten to death by a mob.
But they had never imagined that a timid, cowardly young human with decent martial skills could kill five of their companions single-handedly, even taking out their leader-this left them feeling deeply humiliated.
Worse still, they did not yet know that Yi Chen had just slain eight of their companions alone, while those here had lost only a single man.
Yi Chen slowly withdrew from the valley and stood halfway up the mountain, watching the figures in black weave through the woods.
Armed with long sabers, halberds, short dagger-axes, and other weapons, they moved swiftly through the forest like a well-trained army.
Occasionally, they stopped to rest, set traps, or search for their target; more often, they lay in ambush in hidden spots, silently keeping watch over the valley.
Yi Chen sat at ease on a rock, narrowing his eyes as he watched the figures in black bustle about.
He pricked up his ears, listening to the faint sounds nearby. A slight smile curled his lips as he muttered curses under his breath. "That's what puzzles me. Where's their lair? Such a huge city, and they don't even have a single outpost?"
"Could their base be built underground?" Yi Chen muttered a few words, shook his head, and stopped dwelling on it.
The dagger in his